Non-communicable Comorbidities Research Articles

How does the level of functional impairment vary in individuals with non-communicable disease and comorbidity? Cross-sectional analysis of linked census and administrative data in Aotearoa New Zealand

ObjectivesThis study examines national patterns of functional impairment, and how they vary by the presence of non-communicable disease (NCD), type of health condition, comorbidity, age, sex, ethnicity, deprivation and living...

Consequences of Disintegrated Care for Dual Tuberculosis and Diabetes in Tanzania: A Case Report on Recurrent Tuberculosis with Severe Haemoptysis in a Patient with Dysregulated Diabetes

Diabetes is known to be a risk factor for active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and the reactivation of latent or previous TB. It is also associated with poor TB treatment outcomes. Conversely, TB infection in itself can worsen glycaemic control temporarily and possibly lead to diabetes, among other non-communicable comorbidities. Post-TB lung disease decreases life expectancy and increases the risk of recurrent TB infection. There are efforts in low- and middle-income countries to integrate TB and diabetes healthcare services, as encouraged by the WHO and other international health organisations. However, integration measures, including bidirectional screening and coordinated care for both diseases in low- and middle-income countries, are scarce. This may lead to a lack of control over either condition. The authors present the journey of a 48-year-old man with Type 2 diabetes and previous pulmonary TB. He presented with a 2-week history of productive coughing and massive haemoptysis amounting to 500 mL in total. Recurrent pulmonary TB was confirmed by Gene Xpert, a chest X-ray, and CT of the chest. Glycaemic control improved while on TB treatment after counselling on adherence. The difficulties and dilemmas in managing and following up on a communicable and non-communicable disease traditionally cared for can be improved upon with the integration of TB/diabetes healthcare services.

Non-communicable comorbidities in pulmonary tuberculosis and healthcare utilization: a cross-sectional study of 2021 Indonesian national health insurance data

BackgroundLimited research exists on the comorbidity of pulmonary tuberculosis with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and its implications for healthcare utilization in Indonesia. The lack of investigation into NCD comorbidity among pulmonary tuberculosis patients could adversely affect both the healthcare system and the national health insurance scheme. Understanding the NCD comorbidity among pulmonary tuberculosis patients, associated factors, and healthcare utilization is crucial for ensuring the effective and efficient delivery of health services.MethodThis study utilized an observational cross-sectional design based on anonymized sample data from tuberculosis cases covered by Indonesia's National Health Insurance in 2021. Chi-square tests were employed to analyze dependent and independent variables, while unadjusted and adjusted logistic regressions were used to explore further associations.ResultsThe prevalence of NCD comorbidity in tuberculosis patients was 11.81%. Aged over 60 (aOR 5.16; [CI] 4.23—6.3), married (aOR 1.19; [CI] 1.05—1.34), and unemployed (aOR 1.27; [CI] 1.08—1.49) were associated with the NCD comorbidity in pulmonary tuberculosis patients. Factors associated with increased inpatient service utilization among pulmonary tuberculosis patients included aged over 60 (aOR 5.69; [CI] 4.81—6.74), male (aOR 1.32; [CI] 1.23—1.40), self-employment (aOR 1.42; [CI] 1.29—1.56), having insurance subsidized by central government (aOR 1.89; [CI] 1.73—2.08) or local government funds (aOR 1.75; [CI] 1.58—1.93), and having comorbidity non-communicable diseases (aOR 1.80; [CI] 1.66—1.96).ConclusionPulmonary tuberculosis patients exhibit a significant prevalence of NCD comorbidity, which substantially impacts healthcare utilization. Early detection and management of these conditions are critical to mitigate burdens on both the healthcare system and the financial sustainability of the national health insurance scheme. Integrating health services for tuberculosis and NCDs through bidirectional screening is essential for comprehensive patient care.

Population ageing and national healthcare systems sustainability. A review of world practices

By 2050, the proportion of people over 60 years of age worldwide is expected to be 22 %, and the number of people over 80 is expected to triple by that time, reaching 426 million. Population aging threatens the sustainable functioning of national health care systems, since the increase in the proportion of the elderly population is accompanied by increased costs for the health care system and a decrease in the availability of medical care for other age groups. Based on the analysis and synthesis of data from foreign publications on the impact of population aging on the sustainability of the functioning of national healthcare systems, proposed measures and models of medical care that take into account changes in the age structure of the population are systematized. Analysis of foreign publications made it possible to identify the following challenges for the healthcare system associated with the aging population: rising costs of providing medical care, the need to increase emphasis on preventive measures, increasing prevalence and severity of chronic non-communicable diseases and comorbidity, inequality in access to medical care, expressed in territorial (regional), age and gender aspects, as well as determined by the socio-economic status of a person. Experts suggest that the most obvious and realistic solution to the problem is active prevention of chronic diseases and more intensive monitoring of the health status of the population. Digital solutions that provide disease prevention and remote monitoring of the health status of the elderly population, based on the use of machine learning technologies, artificial intelligence and telemedicine technologies, are identified as promising areas for limiting healthcare costs.

Association of cardiovascular health using Life's Essential 8 with noncommunicable disease multimorbidity

Cardiovascular health (CVH) is closely associated with various noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and comorbidity; however, the influence of CVH on NCD multimorbidity was not fully elucidated. We aimed to examine the association between CVH using Life's Essential 8 (LE8) and NCD multimorbidity among adults, males, and females in the United States, conducting a cross-sectional analysis using data involving 24,445 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2007 to 2018. LE8 was categorized into low, moderate, and high CVH groups. Multivariate logistic regressions and restricted cubic spline regressions were used to estimate the association between LE8 and NCD multimorbidity. Overall, 6162 participants had NCD multimorbidity, of which 1168 (43.5%), 4343 (25.9%), and 651 (13.4%) had low, moderate, and high CVH, separately. After multivariable adjustment, LE8 was negatively associated with NCD multimorbidity among adults (odds ratio (OR) for per 1 standard deviation (SD) increase in LE8 and 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.67 (0.64, 0.69)), and the top 3 NCDs associated with CVH were emphysema, congestive heart failure, stroke, and the dose-response relationships between LE8 and NCD multimorbidity were observed among adults (overall P < 0.001). Similar patterns were also identified among males and females. Higher CVH measured by the LE8 score was associated with lower odds of NCD multimorbidity among adults, males, and females.

Evaluation of Some Growth Parameters among Patients with Chronic Asthma Attending Salahaldeen General Hospital

Bckgrownd :Asthma can impair airway development and reduce maximally attained lung function, and these deficits in lung function can persist or extend into adulthood without further progressive loss. Asthmatic patients are more vulnerable to infections and noncommunicable chronic co-morbidities, which are linked to poorer asthma outcomes. Aim: The current study aimed to assess the impact of asthma and its treatment on children's growth parameters.Pateint and Method: A convenient sample of 200 children in primary school aged (6-12 years) was enrolled including a case group consisting of 100 patients who were presented with asthma; This group was subdivided into two subgroups (50 children using steroids as a treatment and 50 children with asthma using non-steroidal therapy) and 100 healthy children in the control group. Results: The results of the current study showed that male constitutes the largest percentage of the sample (56%). There was a difference between the study groups regarding age, gender, and residency. The parent's asthma, exposure to smoking, lower respiratory tract infection, and allergy were confirmed as risk factors for asthma in children. The means of anthropometric parameters, except height, were higher among asthmatic patients with regular steroids than those with intermittent steroid use and healthy child in the control group. The height mean was lower in asthmatic patients with regular steroid use than those with intermittent steroid use and healthy children in the control group. Conclusion : There were associations between childhood asthma and its treatment and impairment of growth parameters

Evaluation of Stress Response in Middle-Aged Male Diabetic Hypertensive Patients.

Stress triggers a cascade of reactions that alter the organism's dynamic steady state. There is a scarcity of interventional studies that show cortisol variability upon stress over time in groups of patients with chronic noncommunicable diseases and comorbidities. We aimed to examine salivary cortisol changes in the cognitive stress response of patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus (HT&DM) and patients with hypertension (HT) and to determine differences between them. The study was conducted using a stress test of solving an arithmetic task in 62 patients with HT&DM and HT who were being treated in the outpatient clinic of the Medical Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology Department in Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical Faculty Hospital. There was no statistically significant difference between the HT&DM and HT groups for systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) values (P = .331 and P = .058). When measured by repeated ANOVA, salivary cortisol level [F (1.842, 60) = 8.771, P < .0001], SBP [F (2.185, 60) = 12.080, P < .0001], DBP [F (2.793, 60) = 6.043, P = .001], and heart rate [F (2.073, 60) = 13.259, P < .0001] were statistically significant for the main effect (time), while the effect of the group × time interaction factor was statistically not significant (P = .773; P = .751; P = .713 and P = .506, respectively). The arithmetic problem-solving task used with the HT&DM and HT patients was useful as an acute stress test in the laboratory environment. There was no statistically significant difference for group × time interaction factor between the HT&DM and HT groups; however, the salivary cortisol and BP values increased significantly after acute stress within each group.

Risk Factors of Severe COVID-19: A Review of Host, Viral and Environmental Factors.

The clinical course and outcome of COVID-19 are highly variable, ranging from asymptomatic infections to severe disease and death. Understanding the risk factors of severe COVID-19 is relevant both in the clinical setting and at the epidemiological level. Here, we provide an overview of host, viral and environmental factors that have been shown or (in some cases) hypothesized to be associated with severe clinical outcomes. The factors considered in detail include the age and frailty, genetic polymorphisms, biological sex (and pregnancy), co- and superinfections, non-communicable comorbidities, immunological history, microbiota, and lifestyle of the patient; viral genetic variation and infecting dose; socioeconomic factors; and air pollution. For each category, we compile (sometimes conflicting) evidence for the association of the factor with COVID-19 outcomes (including the strength of the effect) and outline possible action mechanisms. We also discuss the complex interactions between the various risk factors.

Urolithiasis: a descriptive study in a single urological unit at a tertiary care hospital

Introduction: Urolithiasis is the most prevalent surgical disorder of urinary tract in Asia. The prevalence of urolithiasis varies with demographic factors. There are many treatment options feasible. The specific treatment approach depends on composition, location, size of the stones and preferences of the patients and hospital capability. Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the demographic details, clinical presentation, and management of patients with urolithiasis in a single urological unit at a tertiary care hospital. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in a total of 247 diagnosed urolithiasis patients in a single urological unit at a tertiary care hospital from August 2021 to July 2022. Data were collected from patients' records; demographic details, clinical presentation and management of urolithiasis were retrieved. Collected data were analyzed with SPSS 26.0. Results: Among the 247 patients, the majority were males (n=159, 64.4%). Patients ranged from the age of 13-83 years, with a mean age of 48.8 (SD: 15.2) years. The most common presenting symptom was pain (n=150, 60.7%). In 45.3% (n=112) comorbidities such as diabetic mellitus (n=64), hypertension (n=77), hyperlipidemia (n=29), chronic kidney disease (n=15) and ischemic heart disease (n=12) were seen. The majority had single stones (n=171, 69.2%). The commonest site of stones was on the left urinary tract (n=101, 40.9%) followed by right (n=95, 38.5%), and bilateral (11.3%), Bladder (8.5%) and urethra (0.8%) were the other sites. The ureteric stones (n=125, 50.6%), and a mean size of 14.8mm (SD: 11.7) were more common than renal stones (n=74, 30.0%), and a mean size of 19.9mm (SD 11.8). The majority (n=186, 75.3%) were treated surgically. Conclusion: Urolithiasis was more commonly seen in males. The commonest presentation was pain, and the site was ureter. Nearly half of the patients had at least one non-communicable comorbidity, and the majority were treated surgically.

Delayed circadian rhythms in older Africans living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

The increasing number of people living with human immunodeficiency virus,HIV, (PLWH) have an elevated incidence of risk for noncommunicable comorbidities, the aetiology of which remains incompletely understood. While sleep disturbances are often reported in PLWH, it is unknown to what extent they relate to changes in the circadian and/or sleep homeostatic processes. We studied the relationship between sleep characteristics, circadian phase,and HIV status in older adults from the HAALSI (Health and Ageing in Africa: a Longitudinal Study of an INDEPTH Community in South Africa) subsample of the Agincourt Health and Demographic Surveillance System in South Africa (n = 187, 36 human immunodeficiency virus positive[HIV+], age: 66.7 ± 11.5years, range 45-93years), where HIV prevalence is high and (in contrast to the global north) does not associate significantly with potentially confounding behavioural differences. In participants with valid actigraphy data (n = 172), regression analyses adjusted for age and sex indicated that HIV+ participants had slightly later sleep onset (β = .16, p = .039), earlier sleep offset times (β = -.16, p = .049) and shorter total sleep times (β = -.20, p = .009) compared to the HIV negative (HIV-) participants. In a subset of participants (n = 51, 11 HIV+), we observed a later dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) in HIV+ (21:16 ± 01:47) than in HIV- (20:06 ± 00:58) participants (p = .006). This substantial difference remained when adjusted for age and sex (β = 1.21; p = .006). In 36 participants (6 HIV+) with DLMO and actigraphy data, median phase angle of entrainment was -6 min in the HIV+ group and +1 h 25 min in the HIV- group. DLMO time correlated with sleep offset (ρ = 0.47, p = .005) but not sleep onset (ρ = -0.086, p = .623). Collectively, our data suggest that the sleep phase occurred earlier than what would be biologically optimal among the HIV+ participants. This is the first report of a mistimed circadian phase in PLWH, which has important potential implications for their health and well-being, especially given the well-established relationships between circadian asynchrony and sleep deprivation with poorer health outcomes.

A double whammy: The association between comorbidities and severe dengue among adult patients-A matched case-control study.

BackgroundDengue infection is the most prevalent mosquito-borne viral infection globally. Concurrently, there has also been an upsurge of non-communicable comorbidities. We aimed to investigate the association between these comorbidities and the development of severe dengue.MethodsWe performed a retrospective, case-control study involving 117 cases with severe dengue and 351 controls with non-severe dengue; matched according to gender, age (+/- 5 years old), and admission date (+/- 2 weeks). We analyzed the data using conditional odds ratio (cOR) and adjusted conditional odds ratio (AcOR) using univariate and multivariable conditional logistic regression respectively.ResultsSix main comorbidities namely obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, chronic pulmonary disease, and ischemic heart disease were observed among cases and controls. Multivariable conditional logistic regression model found only hypertension to be independently associated with the development of severe dengue (ACOR 2.46; 95% CI:1.09–5.53). Among symptoms at presentation, lethargy, vomiting, bleeding manifestations, and abdominal pain were associated with increased odds of severe dengue, although the associations were not statistically significant. Headache (ACOR: 0:32; 95% CI: 0.21–0.51) and skin rash (ACOR: 0.42; 95% CI: 0.22–0.81) were associated with significantly lower odds of severe dengue. Severe dengue patients were also found to have significantly higher white cell count, urea, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, and lactate dehydrogenase on admission, while platelet and albumin were significantly lower compared to non-severe dengue patients.ConclusionsOur study found a significant association between hypertension and the development of severe dengue in adult patients. For clinical practice, this finding suggests that dengue patients with underlying hypertension warrant closer clinical monitoring for deterioration. The association between significant derangement in various laboratory parameters and severe dengue as shown in this study is in keeping with previous reports. While further substantiation by larger prospective studies will be desirable, this association may serve to inform the dengue triaging process.

Changing co-morbidity and increasing deprivation among people living with HIV: UK population-based cross-sectional study.

The great success of HIV treatments means that, increasingly, people living with HIV (PLHIV) are growing old enough to develop age-associated comorbid conditions. We investigated the evolution of comorbid conditions and demographics among PLHIV in England. In a cross-sectional study linking Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) primary care, hospitalization, death registry and Index of Multiple Deprivation data, we measured the prevalence of 304 individual health conditions, categorized into 47 condition groups (36 non-communicable, 11 communicable). Using logistic regression, we calculated odds ratios (ORs) for the likelihood of each condition and condition group in 2015 versus 2008, adjusting for age, sex and deprivation. In 2015, there were 964 CPRD-registered PLHIV compared with 1987 in 2008; 62% were male and 38% female in both cohorts. The 2015 cohort was older, with 51.1% aged 45-64 years and 7.2% aged 65-84 years compared with 31.8% and 3.2%, respectively, in 2008. Deprivation was higher in 2015, at 23.9% (quintile 4) and 28.7% (quintile 5) compared with 5.8% and 6.6%, respectively, in 2008. Of 36 non-communicable condition groups, 14 (39%) occurred in ≥ 10% of PLHIV in 2015, of which seven were more likely in 2015 than in 2008: renal-chronic-kidney-disease [odds ratio (OR)= 1.96 (95% CI: 1.33-2.90); endocrine-obesity [OR=1.76 (1.12-2.77)]; rheumatology [OR=1.64 (1.30-2.07)]; dermatology [OR=1.55(1.29-1.85)]; genito-urinary-gynaecological [OR=1.44(1.18-1.76)]; eyes-ears/nose/throat [OR=1.31(1.08-1.59)]; and gastro-intestinal conditions [OR=1.28 (1.04-1.58)]. Two condition groups, respiratory-chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease [OR=0.36 (0.19-0.69)] and endocrine-diabetes [OR=0.49 (0.34-0.70)], were less likely in 2015. Ten out of 11 communicable infectious condition groups were less likely in 2015. Although infections in PLHIV have fallen, chronic non-communicable comorbidity is increasingly prevalent. Alongside the marked increases in deprivation and ageing, this study suggests that socio-economic measures in addition to healthcare provision are needed to achieve holistic health for PLHIV.

Stroke in Patients with Schistosomiasis: Review of Cases in Literature.

Introduction Cerebral vascular comorbidities may occur in patients with schistosomiasis, as described in case reports. Aim and Methods. We have summarized general clinical and neurological features in patients with stroke associated with schistosomiasis, through a review of case reports in the literature. Investigation Outcomes. A total of eight case reports were retrieved. The mean age of patients was 36.42 ± 16.7 (19 to 56 years), four females, three males, and one anonymous sex. Eosinophilia was the most frequent feature at presentation, followed by cardiac abnormalities, confusion, fever, ataxia, hemiplegia, headache, urticaria, dysphasia, and memory impairment. Patients usually present with watershed infarction or intracranial vasculitis. In one case, extracranial carotid arteries presented with inflammation and stenosis. The patient's serology was positive on admission in five cases. Full neurological recovery was reported in three cases, and partial improvement in another three. In two cases, information on neurological outcomes was incomplete. Stroke in schistosomiasis can be caused by haemodynamic impairment, direct lesion to the arterial wall, vasa vasorum obliterative endarteritis, contiguity with a focus of inflamed tissue, or inflammatory intimal damage. Schistosomiasis needs to be included in the differential diagnosis of stroke in people living or coming back from endemic areas. Conclusions Further studies addressing the noncommunicable comorbidity issues related to this condition are needed.

Context, COVID-19 and comorbidities: exploring emergent directions in syndemics and HIV research.

The purpose of this review is to identify themes across articles that aimed to explore HIV-related syndemics in 2020 and 2021 and to discuss their implications for research on syndemics. We identified 189 articles on syndemics between 2020 and 2021. Key themes across studies included COVID-19; mental health and psychosocial challenges; substance use; socio-structural factors; protective factors; and methodological approaches. COVID-19's implications for HIV syndemic research were discussed. Mental health and substance use research largely examined linkages with sexual practices or reduced HIV care retention. Researchers examined associations between socio-structural variables (e.g. poverty) and elevated HIV exposure, reduced HIV testing and poorer health. Concepts of water insecurity and 'ecosyndemics' were also raised, as was the importance of attending to noncommunicable diseases and comorbidities. Most studies did not assess interactions between health conditions, signalling the need for methodological grounding in the foundational concepts of syndemic theory. Most studies recommended that HIV prevention and care research attend to the interplay between poor mental health, substance use and multidimensional violence. Increased attention to structural factors, particularly exacerbated poverty in the COVID-19 pandemic, is required. Research can identify protective factors to harness to advance HIV prevention and care.

Warfarin Pharmacogenomics for Precision Medicine in Real-Life Clinical Practice in Southern Africa: Harnessing 73 Variants in 29 Pharmacogenes.

Pharmacogenomics is universally relevant for worldwide modern therapeutics and yet needs further development in resource-limited countries. While there is an abundance of genetic association studies in controlled medical settings, there is a paucity of studies with a naturalistic design in real-life clinical practice in patients with comorbidities and under multiple drug treatment regimens. African patients are often burdened with communicable and noncommunicable comorbidities, yet the application of pharmacogenomics in African clinical settings remains limited. Using warfarin as a model, this study aims at minimizing gaps in precision/personalized medicine research in African clinical practice. We present, therefore, pharmacogenomic profiles of a cohort of 503 black Africans (n = 252) and Mixed Ancestry (n = 251) patients from Southern Africa, on warfarin and co-prescribed drugs in a naturalized noncontrolled environment. Seventy-three (n = 73) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 29 pharmacogenes were characterized using a combination of allelic discrimination, Sanger sequencing, restriction fragment length polymorphism, and Sequenom Mass Array. The common comorbidities were hypertension (43–46%), heart failure (39–45%), diabetes mellitus (18%), arrhythmia (25%), and HIV infection (15%). Accordingly, the most common co-prescribed drugs were antihypertensives, antiarrhythmic drugs, antidiabetics, and antiretroviral therapy. We observed marked variation in major pharmacogenes both at interethnic levels and within African subpopulations. The Mixed Ancestry group presented a profile of genetic variants reflecting their European, Asian, and African admixture. Precision medicine requires that African populations begin to capture their own pharmacogenetic SNPs as they cannot always infer with absolute certainty from Asian and European populations. In the current historical moment of the COVID-19 pandemic, we also underscore that the spectrum of drugs interacting with warfarin will likely increase, given the systemic and cardiovascular effects of COVID-19, and the anticipated influx of COVID-19 medicines in the near future. This observational clinical pharmacogenomics study of warfarin, together with past precision medicine research, collectively, lends strong support for incorporation of pharmacogenetic profiling in clinical settings in African patients for effective and safe administration of therapeutics.

Cumulative burden of non-communicable diseases predicts COVID hospitalization among people with HIV: A one-year retrospective cohort study.

There continue to be conflicting data regarding the outcomes of people with HIV (PWH) who have COVID-19 infection with most studies describing the early epidemic. We present a single site experience spanning a later timeframe from the first report on January 21, 2020 to January 20, 2021 and describe clinical outcomes and predictors of hospitalization among a cohort of PWH in an urban center in Connecticut, USA. Among 103 PWH with controlled HIV disease, hospitalization occurred in 33% and overall mortality was 1%. HIV associated factors (CD4 count, HIV viral suppression) were not associated with hospitalization. Chronic lung disease (OR: 3.35, 95% CI:1.28-8.72), and cardiovascular disease (OR: 3.4, 95% CI:1.27-9.12) were independently associated with hospitalization. An increasing number of non-communicable comorbidities increased the likelihood of hospitalization (OR: 1.61, 95% CI:1.22-2.13).

Patterns of non-communicable comorbidities at start of tuberculosis treatment in three regions of the Philippines: The St-ATT cohort.

Diabetes and undernutrition are common risk factors for tuberculosis (TB), associated with poor treatment outcomes and exacerbated by TB. Limited data exist describing patterns and risk factors of multiple comorbidities in persons with TB. Nine-hundred participants (69.6% male) were enrolled in the Starting Anti-TB Treatment (St-ATT) cohort, including 133 (14.8%) initiating treatment for multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB). Comorbidities were defined as: diabetes, HbA1c ≥6.5% and/or on medication; hypertension, systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg and/or on medication; anaemia (moderate/severe), haemoglobin <11g/dL; and, undernutrition (moderate/severe) body-mass-index <17 kg/m2. The most common comorbidities were undernutrition 23.4% (210/899), diabetes 22.5% (199/881), hypertension 19.0% (164/864) and anaemia 13.5% (121/899). Fifty-eight percent had ≥1 comorbid condition (496/847), with 17.1% having ≥2; most frequently diabetes and hypertension (N = 57, 6.7%). Just over half of diabetes (54.8%) and hypertension (54.9%) was previously undiagnosed. Poor glycemic control in those on medication (HbA1c≥8.0%) was common (N = 50/73, 68.5%). MDR-TB treatment was associated with increased odds of diabetes (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.48, 95% CI: 1.55-3.95); but decreased odds of hypertension (AOR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.39-0.78). HIV infection was only associated with anaemia (AOR = 4.51, 95% CI: 1.01-20.1). Previous TB treatment was associated with moderate/severe undernutrition (AOR = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.40-2.80), as was duration of TB-symptoms before starting treatment and household food insecurity. No associations for sex, alcohol or tobacco use were observed. MDR-TB treatment was marginally associated with having ≥2 comorbidities (OR = 1.52, 95% CI: 0.97-2.39). TB treatment programmes should plan for large proportions of persons requiring diagnosis and management of comorbidities with the potential to adversely affect TB treatment outcomes and quality of life. Dietary advice and nutritional management are components of comprehensive care for the above conditions as well as TB and should be included in planning of patient-centred services.

Comparison of prevalence and risk factors for peripheral neuropathy between patients with HIV infection and patients with concurrent HIV and diabetes mellitus

The ageing population living with HIV is predisposed to non-communicable comorbidities, including diabetes. Peripheral neuropathy (PN) can occur in both conditions, and it is thought co-existence of both illnesses has a synergistic impact on PN. We sought to identify the prevalence of PN in our population of patients with HIV infection compared with those with both HIV and diabetes.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease prevalence and associated factors in an urban HIV clinic in a low income country.

IntroductionIn the last decade, survival of people living with HIV (PLHIV) has dramatically increased due wide availability of effective antiretroviral therapy. However, PLHIV remain at a comparatively higher risk of non-communicable comorbidities. We sought to determine the burden of COPD and its associations in an urban tertiary HIV clinic in Uganda.Methods and findingsHIV-infected adults attending the Makerere University Joint AIDS program; aged ≥30 years without acute ailments were screened for COPD using study questionnaires and spirometry (post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC<0.7). We determined its prevalence and association with demographic characteristics, body mass index (BMI) and known risk factors.Of 288 participants enrolled, 177 (61%) were female; 253 (88%) were from urban residences, median age was 45 years (IQR: 39–51), 71(25%) were ‘ever’ smokers, 284(99%) reported biomass fuel use and 72(25%) had a history of tuberculosis. All except 1 participant were on antiretroviral therapy, median current CD4 (cells/mm3) was 558 (IQR 402–753) and 275(96%) were virologically suppressed. Nearly half (130/288, 45%) had recurrent respiratory symptoms. The prevalence of COPD was 3.1% (9/288) [95% CI: 1.63–5.92]. COPD was associated with: previous tuberculosis, (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 6.36, [95% CI 1.64–35.84], P = 0.036), self-reported chronic shortness of breath (AOR: 9.06, [95% CI 1.34–61.10], P = 0.024) and a BMI <21 Kg/m2 (AOR: 10.42 [95% CI: 1.61–100.00], P = 0.013).ConclusionIn this HIV population, COPD prevalence was low and was associated with previous tuberculosis, self-reported chronic shortness of breath and BMI <21 Kg/m2.

Hypertension is associated with increased mortality in patients with tuberculosis in Guinea-Bissau

Tuberculosis (TB) is associated with a number of non-communicable co-morbidities, which can complicate treatment and impair outcome. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of hypertension on disease severity, treatment outcome and survival in a cohort of patients with TB. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in Guinea-Bissau. Patients newly diagnosed with TB between November 2003 and June 2016 were included. Hypertension was defined as blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg. Disease severity was assessed using the Bandim TBscore. Survival was assessed at the end of treatment and 2 years after treatment initiation. In total, 1544 patients were included in this study. Hypertension was present in 12.8% of patients at inclusion. Patients with hypertension had slightly less severe TB, but were less likely to have a successful treatment outcome and had 64% higher mortality at 2-year follow-up (adjusted hazard ratio 1.64, 95% confidence interval 1.15-2.34). Mortality rates were highest in hypertensive female patients and patients aged ≥ 45 years. Patients with high blood pressure at the start of TB treatment had a higher mortality rate at 2-year follow-up. Mortality rates were highest in hypertensive females and patients aged ≥ 45 years.